As Guardian Australia staff bristle at OpenAI deal, News Corp trials a ...
Last week, Guardian Media Group (GMG), which owns Guardian Australia and its UK and US counterparts, announced a strategic partnership with the American artificial intelligence organisation OpenAI. GMG joins the likes of The Associated Press and News Corp (the latter company’s announcement of a multi-year partnership with OpenAI dropped in May 2024) as major outlets with a presences in Australia to team up with OpenAI.
Guardian's AI Partnership
Under the partnership, Guardian reporting and archive journalism will be available as a news source within ChatGPT, alongside the publication of attributed short summaries and article extracts. In addition, The Guardian will also roll out ChatGPT Enterprise to develop new products, features, and tools. (ChatGPT Enterprise is a version of OpenAI’s model specifically designed for and customizable by businesses).
The announcement has raised concerns within Guardian Australia’s newsroom. Staff are apprehensive about how the AI partnership may impact jobs and how ChatGPT Enterprise will be utilized, as well as the murky ethics of OpenAI. Some staff directed Crikey to reports on the use of OpenAI models by Israel in its bombardment of Gaza.
AI Usage Guidelines
In June 2023, The Guardian published an article detailing its approach to generative AI, highlighting concerns about the use of genAI tools and their reliability. The use of AI in journalism has also been a topic of interest for major publishers, with some engaging in legal actions against AI companies for unauthorized use of content.
News Corp's AI Trials
Meanwhile, News Corp is in the early stages of trialling the AI transcription app Trint with select journalists. Last September, Crikey revealed News Corp's evaluation of AI tools within its business, including blocking access to certain AI services and tools due to security and privacy concerns. The company is now experimenting with Trint for transcription needs.
For further inquiries or feedback, you can contact us at [email protected]. We value your input and may consider publishing your thoughts in Crikey’s Your Say.
